We’ve returned to the bakery today for Scones and Muffins, 2 essentials on a brunch buffet. I make my scones with blueberries and the muffin recipe is just a basic one so feel free to add whatever you like to it, from fruit to nuts, chunks of chocolate or assorted toppings. Make them the way you like them
Scones/ makes approx 32 scones
Ingredients
4 cups of flour
1/3 cup of sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbl of baking powder
1 1/2 sticks of cold butter in small cubes, semi frozen
4 eggs beaten
2/3 cup of heavy cream
3 cups of dried blueberries tossed with 2 tbl of vanilla
Toss dried berries with vanilla and let berries absorb vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients. Beat eggs and mix in cream. Preheat oven to 400 and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a food processor or you hands break butter into flour mix until you have a course crumbly mixture. Toss the blueberries with the flour mix and add the egg and cream mix. Blend by hand until just mixed together. On a floured work surface form the dough into 6 inch by 6 inch squares approx 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick. Cut into 4 small triangles each. Lay out on cookie sheets and brush with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake approx 15 minutes until browned on top. Take 1 as a sample and break open to make sure it is done since ovens do vary in temp.
As a variation you can substitute nuts, chocolate chips or other dried fruits in place of the bluberries. Dried cranberries are an excellent substitute. If using nuts or chocolate chips eliminate the vanilla.
Basic Muffin Mix/ makes approx 24 muffins
4 3/4 cups of flour
3/4 cup of sugar
2 tbl baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
4 eggs beaten
1 tbl of vanilla
2 1/2 cups of milk
1 1/2 sticks of butter melted
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin tins with bakers joy or line with muffin papers. Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients together. Blend the wet into the dry until it just comes together. Fill muffins 2/3 full and sprinkle each one with a little sugar to form a nice crust. Bake approx 17 to 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Variations
Stir into the muffins after mixing your favorite ingredients such as
1 1/2 cup of berries
1 1/2 cups of chocolate or white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups of chopped nuts
1 1/2 cups of M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces
2 cups of Banana puree mixed with 1 tbl of cinnamon( may take an extra couple of minutes to bake)
Or top with walnut crunch or streusal
Walnut Crunch
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup of flour
1 1/2 stick of melted butter
3/4 cup of chopped walnuts
1 tbl of brandy
Blend all ingredients by hand and spoon on top of each muffin equally.
Streusal
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 tbl cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground clove
1 stick of semi frozen butter in small cubes
Mix dry ingredients together and blend in the butter by hand or in a food processer until you have a nice crumbly mixture. Sprinkle about 1 tbl of mix on each muffin.
Eat Well and Enjoy
Chef Tim
Cookwcheftim's Blog 